Parenting Harry (was: Re: I don't like him much)

[eloise_herisson]

No: HPFGUIDX 120109


> Mcmaxslb wrote:
> snip.
> 
> Snape's actions are not *consistently* 
> discipline. They are the vicious bullying of a greasy haired 
asshole 

Do take the trouble to disagree with what is actually said.

I did not say that all Snape's actions are purely disciplinary (for 
goodness sake, I even said that as well as trying to save Harry, he 
had his own agenda for going after Sirius) because I don't see him as 
a one dimensional character.

> that takes out petty school boy grudges on a child, indeed children 
> for Harry is not his only victim, who can't retaliate. From the  
> moment they met Snivellus has though his attacks and bullying 
> created such animosity between them that Snivellus has hurt,almost 
> lost the cause that he is supposed to be fighting for! And it is 
> 100% Snape's fault. 


If you've read any of my analyses of Snape's character in the past, 
which I don't expect you to have, given the volume of posts on this 
site, you will know that I consider Snape a deeply flawed character. 
I have never claimed that he is nice, or fair, or that he doesn't 
bully. That has nothing whatsoever to do with any particular role he 
may have (within the books) appropriated for himself or that JKR may 
have given him as part of her plot.


At the moment I feel a little as though I am beating my head against 
a brick wall. This thread, from my POV has nothing to do with 
defending Snape's character, but merely with the observation that (as 
JKR has written the books) without Snape, there would be no-one 
effectively challenging Harry's tendency to rule break, no involved 
adult questioning his "special status". 

At the risk of repeating myself, Harry has no one parent figure. The 
various roles which a parent undertakes are split between various 
adults. Most of the limit setting seems to fall to Snape. 

Now I have not said that I approve of his methods, in fact I have not 
commented on them at all, because that actually is another issue. But 
I have, in this thread, given you good reason to think that I might 
not:

>He either genuinely
>.......................
>It's usually down to Snape to do the less palatable side of
>parenting, which is a little unfortunate, given his antipathy to his
>charge. 

>aside from any character defects Snape may possess

>Snape, in his own, unsympathetic way

detests Harry or else gives a very convincing act of doing so

>like him or not,
>whether his methods are acceptable or not, whatever the 
motivation....
...............................................

Now you may read that as approbation, it was written neutrally 
because the appropriateness of *how* Snape carries out his duties was 
not my concern in this particular thread. 

In fact, my personal feelings about the character have no bearing on 
what I've said whatsoever.

  
> Mcmaxslb wrote:
> 
> And I think I now have a handle on all you Snape lovers, you were 
> in all probably bullies just like Snape and you enjoy seeing Harry 
> being bullied. Takes you back to your school days when you were 
> hurting people doesn't it?

Eloise:

Hmm. I'm not sure that you can jump from reading someone's analysis 
of the literary purpose of a character to making assumptions about 
their own personality. As a matter of fact, if it's any of your 
business, I was myself the victim of bullies at school and I now have 
to watch and help my own children as they cope with unfair teachers 
and the tribulations of the playground. I don't like bullying. I 
don't like the way Snape behaves towards Harry and his friends. But I 
am interested in what motivates people's behaviour, what makes them 
tick. I find very few people are one-dimensional and I don't believe 
that JKR wrote Snape as a one-dimensional character.